Pope to gay sex abuse victim: ‘God Loves You’
A gay man from Chile who was sexually abused by a priest said Pope Francis told him earlier this month that God “loves you.” Juan Carlos Cruz and two other victims of Rev. Fernando Karadima [...]
Canada Joins Global LGBTI Rights Initiative
Canada is the latest country to join a U.S. initiative that seeks to promote LGBTI rights around the world. The State Department and the Canadian government in a May 17 press release that announced Canada [...]
Daniela Vega to Attend IDAHOT Events in Cuba
The transgender actress who starred in “A Fantastic Woman” will travel to Cuba next month for the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The National Center for Sexual Education — the group known by the [...]
Power Restored to Gay Puerto Rico Hairdresser’s Hurricane-Damaged Home
A gay hairdresser in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico who the Washington Blade profiled in February has had electricity restored to his home. Electricity was restored to the house in which Ricky Santiago and his family live in the [...]
Vocal Marriage Opponent Loses Costa Rica Presidential Election
A vocal opponent of marriage rights for same-sex couples on Sunday lost the second round of Costa Rica’s presidential election. Official results indicate Fabricio Alvarado lost to Carlos Alvarado by a 39-61 percent margin. Fabricio [...]
Gun Control Rallies Take Place Across U.S., Around the World
TAMPA, Fla. — Hundreds of “March for Our Lives” gun control rallies, marches and protests took place across the U.S. and around the world on Saturday. More than 10,000 people attended a “March for Our [...]
Bermuda Activists Rebuke Calls to Boycott Island
LGBT activists in Bermuda have rebuked calls to boycott the British island territory’s tourism industry over a law that rescinds marriage rights for same-sex couples. Linda Mienzer, a long-time LGBT rights activist in Bermuda, on [...]
Bisexual Rio Councilwoman, Human Rights Activist Killed
RIO DE JANEIRO — Rio de Janeiro Councilwoman Marielle Franco was killed on March 14 at around 9:30 p.m. local time after attending and speaking at a black women’s empowerment event in the city. Franco [...]
Pride House at the Winter Olympics
A South Korean LGBTI advocacy group is behind the Pride House at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The Seoul-based Korean Sexual Minority Culture and Rights Center and Pride House International organized the Pride House, [...]
Panama Supreme Court Judge Withdraws Draft Ruling Against Marriage
A judge on the Panama Supreme Court who drafted a ruling against marriage rights for same-sex couples has withdrawn it. Justice Luis Ramón Fábrega last October in his draft ruling wrote the provisions of Panama’s [...]
Puerto Rico HIV/AIDS Groups Struggling to Recover from Maria
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — It was shortly after 4 p.m. on Jan. 30 when an employee of Bill’s Kitchen, an organization that prepares meals for Puerto Ricans with HIV/AIDS, added diesel to a large generator that [...]
Eric Radford Becomes First Out Athlete to Win Gold at Winter Olympics
Canadian Eric Radford has made history as the first openly gay athlete to win gold at the Winter Olympics. Radford, 33, and his partner Meagan Duhamel won the medal for team figure skating for their free skate to [...]
Marriage Opponent Wins First Round of Costa Rica Presidential Election
A vocal opponent of marriage rights for same-sex couples has won the first round of Costa Rica’s presidential election. The New York Times reported Fabricio Alvarado of the National Restoration Party received nearly 25 percent [...]
Jamaica Prevents Anti-LGBT U.S. Pastor from Entering the Country
The Jamaican government on Monday prevented an anti-LGBT American pastor from entering the country. Steven Anderson, who is a pastor at the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Ariz., told the Jamaica Gleaner, a Jamaican newspaper, that [...]
Panama Signals it will Comply with Landmark LGBT Rights Ruling
The government of Panama has signaled it plans to comply with a landmark Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling that recognizes same-sex marriage and transgender rights. Vice President Isabel de Saint Malo on Tuesday announced [...]
Pro-LGBT PR Firm Promotes Egyptian Government
A D.C.-based public relations firm that supports LGBT rights is promoting the Egyptian government in the U.S. Avi Asher-Schapiro of the Intercept — a website that Glenn Greenwald edits — on Dec. 6 reported APCO Worldwide in [...]
Bermuda Senate approves marriage repeal bill
The Bermuda Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would rescind marriage rights for same-sex couples in the British island territory. The 8-3 vote took place less than a week after the Bermuda House of [...]
Puerto Rico Senate Approves Religious Freedom Bill
BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS, WASHINGTON BLADE The Puerto Rico Senate on Sunday approved a religious freedom bill that critics contend would allow anti-LGBT discrimination in the U.S. commonwealth. The bill — which is known as the [...]
More Gay and Bisexual Men Able to Donate Blood
New blood donation rules for gay and bisexual men have come into effect in Scotland, Wales, and in England, meaning more gay and bisexual men will be eligible to give blood. Gay and bisexual men [...]
U.S. Blocks Removal of Discrimination Reference from UN Olympics Resolution
by Michael K. Lavers The U.S., France and Brazil have blocked Egyptian and Russian efforts to remove a gay-inclusive reference to discrimination from a U.N. resolution on the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. [...]
Report: Panama Supreme Court Judge Rules Against Same-Sex Marriage
by Michael K. Lavers A justice on the Panama Supreme Court has reportedly issued a draft ruling against the plaintiffs in a same-sex marriage lawsuit. The decision also reportedly says the Panama National Assembly should [...]
New Study: Social Attitudes Toward Gays and Lesbians Rapidly Changing in Developing World
WASHINGTON, DC — Center for Global Development Senior Fellow Charles Kenny and Researcher Dev Patel released a new study Oct. 13 that finds that as social attitudes toward gays and lesbians have changed rapidly in [...]
Malta Same-Sex Marriage Law Takes Effect
by Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade A law that allows same-sex couples to legally marry in Malta took effect on Friday. Gabi Calleja, coordinator of the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement, a local advocacy group, told [...]
Gay Men Sent to ‘Concentration Camps’ in Chechnya
by Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade The city of Grozny in the Russian republic of Chechnya. Authorities have sent gay men in the semi-autonomous Russian republic to secret prisons that have been described as "concentration [...]
Fidel Castro Leaves Legacy of Oppression, Say Many LGBT Cubans
BY BTL STAFF Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro's death has many LGBT activists reflecting on a history of repression under his regime. "I would never be happy about anyone's death -- anyone," Herb Sosa, a [...]
New Delhi Pride Parade Marchers Call for End to Anti-LGBT Laws
BY BTL STAFF INDIA - LGBT rights activists marched in New Delhi's Pride parade Nov. 27, calling for the repeal of a law that criminalizes gay sex and for an end to other instances of [...]
Australia turns down national vote on same-sex marriage
BY BTL STAFF Australia - Australia's bid to hold a national vote on whether to legalize same-sex marriage was defeated on Nov. 7 in the upper house of parliament, or Senate, potentially delaying legal unions [...]
Controversial Gay Director Focus of Upcoming Documentary
Peter Tatchell with Sir Ian McKellen. #tatchellmovie An interview with Chris Amos, director of the upcoming documentary "Hating Peter Tatchell." First of all, why do you feel it's so important to make this film? [...]
‘I Am Arrested by Ugandan Police’ -@FrankMugisha
By TJ Rogers Last Thursday, Aug. 4, in the midst of the "Mr. and Ms. Pride" event of Pride Uganda 2016, police raided Venom nightclub and arrested at least 15 attendees, including two prominent international [...]
UN Creates Envoy Position Dedicated to Worldwide LGBTQ Safety and Equality
From Press Release The United Nations Human Rights Council announced the creation of the first-ever UN position dedicated to combating violence and discrimination against LGBTQ people worldwide today. The effort to establish the independent expert [...]
ILGA-Europe Reaction to UK Referendum Result
From Press Release June 24, 2016 ILGA-Europe have always strongly believed in the power of activists and allies to work together for a common goal, namely to improve life for LGBTI people across Europe. Over [...]
National Gay Media Association Condemns Bangladeshi Editor’s Killing
Liz Baudler BANGLADESH - The National Gay Media Association April 27 joins with the world community in condemning the senseless and brutal killing April 26 of Xulhaz Mannan, the editor of Roopbaan, an LGBTI publication [...]
Russian Duma Rejects Bill Criminalizing Gay ‘Coming Out’
Russia's lower house of parliament has rejected draft legislation that called for fines and arrests of people who publicly express their homosexuality. The so-called "coming out" bill, initiated by lawmakers from the Communist Party, called [...]
Global Survey Says Acceptance Of Homosexuality Increasing
BY BTL STAFF WASHINGTON, DC - The Williams Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago surveyed countries from around the world and found that acceptance of homosexuality has risen over the past 20 years [...]
NCLR Committee To Attend UN Meeting Against Torture
BTL STAFF San Francisco The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) announced the formation of the #BornPerfect Advisory Committee , a group of conversion therapy survivors, child welfare and mental health experts, and faith leaders [...]
Jamaican Ends Legal Challenge to Anti-Sodomy Law
BTL Staff KINGSTON, JAMAICA - Young Jamaican gay rights activist who brought a legal challenged to the Caribbean island's anti-sodomy law has withdrawn the claim after multiple threats and violent backlashes, advocacy groups and colleagues [...]
Queen Pardons Gay WWII Code Breaker
BTL Staff ENGLAND - The Queen of England herself, Queen Elizabeth II granted a Royal pardon for internationally acclaimed British codebreaker and computer scientist Alan Turing. Turing took his own life in 1954 after being [...]
Longest Running Soap Opera Shows LGBT Support
BTL Staff ENGLAND - Members of the longest running soap opera, Coronation Street, a British soap opera about the working class residents of the self titled street, have come out in support of the LGBT [...]
Berlin Mayor Announces Resignation
BTL Staff BERLIN - After more than 13 years in office, Klaus Wowereit announced he will be resigning on Dec. 11 of this year. He is Berlin's first openly gay mayor and helped turn the [...]
Russia Forced To Allow Same-Sex Wedding
RUSSIA - Alina Davis, 23, and Allison Brooks, 19, were both donning wedding dresses when they walked into the Moscow registry office asking for a marriage license. Davis describes herself as androgyne, not fitting into [...]
Participants Needed For LGBT Mental Health Study
BTL Staff LONDON - Researchers at King's College London are studying how stigma and discrimination contribute to mental health issues amongst those within the LGBT community. LGBT people are 1.5 times more likely to suffer [...]
New Documentary Focuses On Syrian And Lebanese Bears
By BTL Staff A new documentary, "The Bears of Beirut," is part of a new Indiegogo campaign focusing on the lives of gay refugees from Syria on route to Lebanon and the two gay men [...]
Harry Potter Helps Reduce Prejudice
By AJ Trager NATIONAL - Aside from defeating Lord Voldemort and restoring peace to the world, Harry Potter is also helping to reduce prejudice and bigotry against the LGBT and immigrant communities. In a recent [...]
Uganda Invalidates Anti-Gay Law
AP Ugandan citizens celebrate gay pride 2014 UGANDA - A Ugandan court on Friday [Aug 1] invalidated an anti-gay bill signed into law earlier this year, saying the measure is illegal because it was [...]
LGBT Activists Attacked In Toronto
By BTL Staff Pink News reports that LGBT rights activists were attacked and told to leave a recent Toronto event held by Rob Ford. The activists had been protesting the controversial Toronto mayor's alleged homophobia. [...]
First Of Its Kind: New Condom May Kill HIV And HPV
BTL Staff AUSTRALIA - A pharmaceutical company out of Melbourne has designed a gel, much like spermicide, that has been found to be 99.9 percent effective at deactivating HIV, herpes, bacterial vaginosis and HPV. This [...]
Top AIDS Researchers Killed: Update
By BTL Staff Australia - UPDATE: Previous reports that "more than 100" AIDS researchers lost their lives aboard the Malaysian flight MH17, as reported by the Australian Press, have been found inaccurate. The flight crashed [...]
Results Show Children of LGBT Couples Doing Well In The Face Of Stigma
BTL STAFF AUSTRALIA - Children of same-sex attracted parents have above average health and wellbeing, according to University of Melbourne research published in the journal BMC Public Health. The study did warn that stigma was [...]
India Recognizes ‘Third Gender’
The Supreme Court of India ruled Tuesday, "It is the right of every human being to choose their gender" and that people of a "third gender" should be given the rights of citizens. The decision [...]